By Audrey Dodgen/Staff Writer

After a successful trip to New York City, Archie Randall’s wrestling squad earned a 54-16 victory over the Woodward Boomers Tuesday.

The match opened at 103 pounds, where Austin Mogg received a forfeit.

At 112 pounds, Ethan Martin fell behind 2-0 in the first period. At the end of the second buzzer, Martin trailed 7-0. The match ended in a 9-0 major decision, making the team score 6-4 in favor of El Reno.

Chris Crawford led his 119-pound match 2-0 in the first period and earned a fall in 3:08.

At 125 pounds, Derek Gibbs earned a fall in 58 seconds, making the team score 18-4.
Adam Delong received a forfeit at 130 pounds.

At 135 pounds, senior Brian Shelton led the first period 14-6 and earned a fall in 3:13.

Travis Lord dropped a 13-10 decision at 140 pounds. Lord trailed 3-2 at the end of the first period and 5-4 in the second.

Jon Fincher received a forfeit at 145 pounds, making the team score 36-7.

Senior Kevin Frazier led 9-2 at the first buzzer of the 152-pound match and picked up a fall in 2:51 to push El Reno’s lead to 42-7.

Mitch McKee lost a 12-5 decision at 160 pounds to make the score 42-10.

At 171 pounds, Derek Thompson, recently returned from a wrist injury, earned a fall in 1:45.

“Having Derek back really helps us,” Randall said.

“If we don’t have him, other teams will push a guy so he doesn’t have to wrestle Jeff (James). With him in the lineup, they can’t do that.”

James earned a fall in 2:21 at 189 pounds after leading 7-1.

The undefeated James said he felt confident about the way the season was unfolding.

“We’re all coming along really well right now. I know that I need to stay focused and finish strong,” he said.

At 215 pounds, Ryan Marshall lost a 1-0 decision. Heavyweight Jonathan Dutcher lost a 2-0 decision.

“Those two guys (Marshall and Dutcher) have really come on. We have a new plan for them. They are going to wrestle with a little bit different style than the rest of the team,” Randall said.

“They’re both getting more confident and it makes them wrestle more aggressively.”

Randall said their continued improvement gives the team confidence in the upper end of the lineup. When the season began, those positions were largely unknown, and appeared to be weaknesses, he said.

The goal is to have both wrestlers prepared for the regional tournament in Feburary, he said.

“When you get to regionals, it doesn’t matter what your record was. It just matters that you get through regionals to go on to state,” he said.

Thursday’s dual against Midwest City should provide Marshall and Dutcher an opportunity to earn valuable experience.

“Midwest City’s heavyweight is really young, too. This will be a good chance for Dutch,” he said.

James said the Midwest City match would be a challenge, and the team would have to work to reach their goals.

“We can’t give up falls at Midwest City, and we have to get falls,” he said.

Randall said he expects Chad Cradduck, who separated both shoulders recently, to return for the dual with the Bombers.

Overall, he said, the team is progressing adequately for where they are in the season.

“We are getting to where we need to be. We’ll be ready,” he said.